Improvement in propelling boats



dniird ,gamine aient @imita IMPROVEMENT IN PROP-ELLING- BOATS.

*NW- v The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of the same.

To all whom it may concern Figure 2 a vertical longitudinal section of the same.

Letters of like name and kind refer to like parts in each of the ligures.

My invention is intended to furnish means by which an oarsman can use his feet as well as his hands for moving the oars and propelling a boat -and to this end It consists of a cross-bar suspended horizontally within and across a boat, in a convenient position to receive the feet of an oarsman when seated, and oonnecliedl by chains, or other suitable means with the lower ends of two vertical levers, pivoted to the'sides of. the boat, or the front edge of the seat, the upper ends of said levers being in turn connected with the inner ends of the oars, so that a backward pressure of the-feetnpon said cross-beam shall cause the inner ends of said oars to move forward.

In the annexed drawing- A represents the boat;

B, the oarsmans seat; and

O C, the oars, working upon pins secured upon the gunwale.

D represents a cross-bar suspended across the boat, near its bottom, by means of chains el el, secured to the ends of said bar and the gunwale of said boat.

E E represent two levers 'pivoted at their 'centre to the front edge of the seat B, their lower ends being connected by chains e c to the ends of the cross-bar D, while their upper ends are connected by other chains c c to the inner ends of the oars C C.

The operation of this device will be readily understood. v

The oarsman places himself upon the seat B, with his feet upon the bar D, and his hands grasping the oars, which he operates in the usual manner.

Instead, hovever, of his feet remaining stationary, as heretofore, they are drawn back and pushed forward at each stroke of the oars, to which they impart mo tion by means of the levers E E and their connecting chains.

It will of course be at all times necessary to guide the oars with the hands, but the power-required to move` said oars, can be easily furnished by the legs when it is desired to rest the arms.

The advantages possessed by this invention, are- First, the oarsman is enabled to bring all of the muscles of his body into action, and consequently can exert a much greater force, and secure greater speed, than by operating the oars solely through the hands.

Second, the oarsman is enabled to perform the same labor with less fatigue, and also to exert himself for a greater length of time, as he can use his arms alone,

or in connection with his feet, or can operate the oars entirely with the latter, (except to guide them,) when he desires to l'est his arms.

Third, the device is simple, cheap, and durable, and can be readily attached to or removed from any boat Without alteration of its parts.

Having thus fully set forth the nature and merits of my invention,

What I claim as new, is-

Ihe -oross-bar D, or its equivalent, by means of which, through suitable mechanism, motion can be imparted to the oars, by the feet of an oarsman, substantially as shown.

Also, the levers E E, when pivoted to the boat, and connected with the cross-bar D, or its equivalent, and with the inner ends of the oars C G, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

Also, the cross-bar D, and levers E E, together with their connecting-chains d d, e e, and c c, in combination with the boat A and oars C C, substantially as shown and for the purpose described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing, I have hereunto set my hand, this 26th day of December, 1868.

JOSEPH HROUX.

Witnesses:

CHARLES LAJoU, 011s. D. HBERT. 

